


The Ugly Lies, The Bitter Truth

by I May Age Regress (shnuffeluv)



Category: The Two Princes (Podcast)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Breakfast, CGRE - Caregiver/Age Regressor, CGRE Regressor Prince Amir, Domestic Fluff, Gen, Implied Slash, My First Work in This Fandom, Stuffed Toys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:13:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24297157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shnuffeluv/pseuds/I%20May%20Age%20Regress
Summary: Amir wakes up feeling a little off, and he doesn't want Rupert knowing why.
Relationships: Prince Amir & Prince Rupert (Two Princes Podcast)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 38





	The Ugly Lies, The Bitter Truth

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I just wanted to say that this is my first fic for this fandom, and I'm still only a little over halfway through season one, so I'd appreciate no spoilers in the comments! Other than that, enjoy!

Amir woke up that morning to sun filtering in through the windows, and he knew one thing for certain: that day was not going to be a good one.

He stared up at the ceiling wondering why, today of all days, he had to wake up with his little headspace rearing its ugly head. He was safe, he was hanging out at Rupert’s, and he was working on moving in.

…Come to think of it, that might have been why this had happened.

Rupert shifted in bed next to him, and Amir knew that he was going to wake up in a matter of moments. And because this was Rupert, he’d instantly know that something was up. He could feel his eyes filling up with frustrated tears. This wasn’t how he wanted Rupert finding out! He had wanted to have a mature, adult discussion, talking about what he would and wouldn’t allow, what he would depend on Rupert to enforce…but right now, all he wanted was his stuffed dragon Porridge and maybe a Pop-Tart.

As Rupert shifted up in bed, Amir rolled onto his side away from Rupert, in hopes that he could pretend to be asleep for a while longer. Rupert huffed a laugh. “Look who’s a morning person, now,” he murmured. “Good morning, Amir. I know you’re awake.”

Amir stole the blankets in response and burrowed further into the mattress.

“No, no, none of that today. We have to get this place presentable for our mothers tomorrow, remember?” Rupert asked.

Amir shook his head, even though Rupert probably couldn’t see it. He wasn’t getting up! He refused!

“Amir…what’s wrong?” Rupert asked.

Realizing he was sniffling, Amir held his breath. He wasn’t gonna talk to Rupert, not right now. Let him believe that Amir was feeling sick. That would hopefully give him time to age up.

“Come on, love, I know something’s wrong,” Rupert said, placing his hand on Amir’s shoulder.

He didn’t reply.

Rupert sighed. “All right, I’m gonna make breakfast, Amir. If you want to talk, come get me.”

After a moment, Rupert left the room and Amir kicked the blankets off him, sniffling again and rubbing at his eyes with a fist. He looked around desperately for Porridge, finding him between the mattress and the wall. He carefully pulled porridge out, making sure that he didn’t have any dust or dirt on him, nor any tears in his fur, before clutching him close to his chest.

He buried his head in Porridge’s fur. He hated feeling like this, all weak and defenseless. He shouldn’t have to feel like this! And yet here he was…crying over the fact that he woke up little, something that happened from time to time, and he should have warned Rupert about sooner.

Outside, there was the clang of a food bowl and Fitzroy barked as Rupert called him. Amir felt his face burn as he cried harder. He wanted Rupert to have that much love and care in his voice when he spoke to Amir. “Hey, Amir? Can you come out here? I need some help.”

Amir sniffled and shuffled off the bed, rubbing at his eyes with one hand as the other still held Porridge the dragon. Rupert smiled as Amir walked out of the bedroom. “Amir, there you are. Can you get the flour? You put it on too high a shelf for me to reach after last time you used it.”

That was easy enough, Amir supposed. Without a word, he went over to the pantry and stood on his tip-toes to reach the flour on the top shelf. He passed it to Rupert, who gave him a kiss on the cheek and a small, “Thank you,” in return.

Amir was going to return to the bedroom, but before he could walk more than one step, Rupert said, “Why don’t you sit at the island, Amir? I can handle breakfast today and we can just chat.”

Rupert was dead-set on having them talk, wasn’t he? Amir knew better than to argue, so he sat at the island and rested his head on his arm and placed Porridge carefully on the counter.

Rupert worked around the kitchen for a bit, humming softly before he spoke. “I was thinking about pancakes for breakfast, sound good?”

Amir perked up. “Pancakes?” he repeated.

“Pancakes,” Rupert confirmed with a grin. “I think that’s the first word you’ve said this morning, too. Which is odd.”

Oh. Amir saw where this was going. He scowled and crossed his arms with a huff, looking away.

“Amir, I’m not trying to judge you. I just want to make sure you’re all right,” Rupert said. “You’re not sick?”

Amir shook his head.

“You didn’t lose your voice?”

Again, he shook his head.

“And if there were something big going on, you would tell me?”

Amir hesitated.

Rupert sighed. “Amir, come on. I know we didn’t get on well for a while at first. I know you haven’t told me everything about you yet. I doubt I’d _ever_ know everything about you. But I’m worried.”

Guilt gnawed at Amir. He knew that was true. Rupert just cared too much for his own good. “‘S not big,” Amir mumbled. “‘S just little.”

“You act like the world is ending, love,” Rupert said. “Come on, can’t you tell me?”

Amir blushed hard. How was he supposed to admit that he was age regressed, overly attached to his stuffed dragon named Porridge, and scared that Rupert wouldn’t want him moving in if he said anything?

Rupert eyed the stuffed dragon on the table. “You know, you never did tell me your dragon’s name when you brought him over yesterday,” Rupert said.

Relieved at the apparent change in topic, Amir relaxed a fraction. “His name’s Porridge.”

Rupert laughed. “I love that,” he said. “How’d he get that name?”

Amir shrugged. “He didn’t like anything else I offered.”

“You were…an adult when you got him, though, right?” Rupert asked. “How old were you when you stopped talking to your stuffed animals?”

Oh. Whoops. Amir looked away.

“Amir,” Rupert said, somehow sounding soft but stern at the same time. “I need you to be honest with me.”

Amir risked a glance at Rupert, but he didn’t look even the slightest bit mad. He just looked worried. Amir shifted where he sat. “I dunno how to say it,” Amir admitted.

“Do you regress?” Rupert asked point-blank.

“I…” Amir bit back the initial denial. He didn’t want to lie to Rupert. “Yeah…”

“Okay,” Rupert said. “Thank you for being honest with me. Do you still want pancakes?”

“You’re…not…mad?” Amir asked.

“Why would I be mad?” Rupert asked. “I do it too. My mother and I weren’t the closest. Still aren’t. I regress to feel a little bit of the love I sometimes feel the need for. It’s fine, it’s natural, it happens. I’m still making you pancakes, I still love you, and I still want to move in together.”

Amir didn’t know how much he needed to hear that until he was already crying with relief. Rupert hugged him close, murmuring sweet nothings in his ear until Amir stopped crying. Rupert laughed when they pulled apart and Amir frowned until Rupert pulled Amir’s thumb out of his mouth. “I’m getting you a pacifier if you keep doing that, you’ll ruin your teeth,” Rupert warned.

Maintaining eye contact with Rupert, Amir returned his thumb to his mouth. Rupert rolled his eyes and smiled as he made pancakes and microwaved the maple syrup.

Amir found himself a full plate of pancakes drizzled in syrup and put in pre-cut pieces, while Rupert sat across from him with his own plate. “You don’t mind me cutting it up before hand, do you?” Rupert asked.

“Nuh-uh,” Amir said, reaching for a piece of pancake with his fingers, only to have Rupert slap his hand.

“Use a fork!” Rupert said. “Unless you want Porridge to wind up in the wash from getting all sticky!”

That was threat enough for Amir, who dutifully picked up a fork in his fist and skewered the pancake pieces, shoving them in his mouth.

“We still have to clean up for our mothers after breakfast, you know,” Rupert said.

Amir whined.

Rupert laughed. “I know, I know, but I’ll make it fun. I promise,” he said. “I’ve had too many years of having to be an adult when regressed. I can make any chore fun.”

Amir gave Rupert a doubtful look.

“Hey, you help me clean up and I’ll let you watch any cartoon on Netflix you want afterward. _And,_ I’ll watch it _with_ you. Which means you get to laugh at me and how wrong I am about my guesses on every last character. Sound good?”

That did sound like fun. Amir nodded.

Rupert grinned. “Good. I’m glad. Once you’re adult again we can talk about what you might need during all this—clearly, you regress younger than I do—but until then, we can just have a little fun, sound good?”

Amir nodded. That sounded perfect.

**Author's Note:**

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